How to beat the EOFY hangover
Are you feeling like June was a sprint to the finish line and July feels more like you’re still slogging it out? Business owners, it’s time to replenish your sense of motivation.
We understand it’s been an especially tough push through to the End Of Financial (Pandemic) Year in 2021, with restrictions galore, lockdowns, fluctuating revenue streams, and teams working remotely. It has been a lot to deal with, but so many of you have continued to perform above and beyond, despite the challenges.
However, recently in conversations with some of our clients, there’s been a fair amount of talk concerning being “burnt out” after the EOFY push. Some owners are finding it hard to keep both themselves and their staff feeling positive and staying productive, and are feeling what we’re calling the ‘EOFY Hangover’.
This isn’t sustainable, no matter how understandable it is. So, how do we re-energise and stay focussed? How do we keep the team culture strong and optimistic? Let’s explore a few options.
1. Stick to the plan
We all like to feel well organised, and it’s soothing to know exactly what you have to do across each of your working days so that you're not caught by surprise. In stressful times it is essential that you take a moment at the start of your week to set a plan that might make all the difference.
You’ll want to ensure you’re assessing the state of things, checking in with the team and adjusting to any changes that might need to be made. This process can also be useful for locking in those necessary moments of free space in between any meetings or commitments, especially when burnout sets in. Outlook’s Cortana is great for scheduling this. Having some much-needed breathing room in your work day allows you to reignite your focus and drive.
So grab your calendar/diary/organiser of choice, and at a time of your choosing do a little forward planning. This might be at the end of each day, or first thing in the morning. You’ll have a clearer picture of your week, and hopefully a slightly less cluttered brain.
2. Healthy body, healthy mind
The mind-body connection is profound and even small amounts of exercise can fill your brain with feel-good endorphins. This could be a jog, a walk, some yoga, a bike ride – the options are limitless for getting your heart rate up. We’re not saying you have to do super high-intensity athletic training to get results, just do what you can handle. Any amount of movement, at some point in your day, is worth doing.
It sounds simple but it’s so fundamental for overall well being. We all know that regular exercise leads to decreased anxiety and increases the production of endorphins, but did you know a review of 19 studies found that active individuals who stopped regular exercise experienced “significant increases in symptoms of depression and anxiety even after only a few weeks”.
Sitting still for extended periods of time not only can make for stiff joints, it can also lead to a clouded headspace. For so many people, exercise provides a necessary distraction and an opportunity to de-clutter. Even a short walk in the local park might allow you to engage with your work, newly invigorated. Which leads us neatly to the next idea.
3. Change up your space
Whether for the purpose of exercise or not, everyone in your business should try to shake things up and get outside during their day (if COVID-19 restrictions allow). At the very least, try and remove yourself from your physical workspace during any breaks, especially during the more difficult days. Not that it should need saying, but even the highest performance workers should make sure to have scheduled breaks.
An article by Entrepreneur found that turning off the sensors that are involved in the stress response “allows the higher brain centers to be accessed, resulting in increased concentration, improved memory, greater creativity and productivity and reduced mental fatigue”.
The article quoted Harvard physician, Eva M. Selhub, co-author of Your Brain on Nature, who said: “A drop of nature is like a drop of morphine to the brain, since it ‘stimulates’ reward neurons in your brain. It turns off the stress response which means you have lower cortisol levels, lower heart rate and blood pressure and improved immune response.”
If you’re struggling with EOFY burn out, changing your physical space may help you to get back on track mentally. Try to make sure to remove yourself from your workspace at certain points of your day in order to release any built up pressure and create a sense of calm.
4. Distant but not unreachable
Sometimes the best cure for an EOFY year hangover is bringing the team together. While you might not all be physically in the office, there are tools available to stay in touch and help to boost morale. Staying connected through video chats, team-building apps, and chat channels does so much work in keeping the culture alive and kicking.
Plus, talking to other humans is just healthy in it’s own right. People are social creatures and aren’t designed to live in isolation. So, making little efforts to connect with people in your business might not only maintain productivity, it might also just make you feel better!
We’d even recommend incorporating some online games into old-fashioned Friday afternoon socialising, such as Jackbox, to keep things light and positive. Maintaining a sense of fun when your team is feeling burnt out, or if times are a bit tougher, can go a long way towards keeping spirits high. This is especially relevant for any team members who might be working remotely and living alone, as those little moments of company can make all the difference.
5. Use the right fuel
It’s old wisdom, but that doesn’t make it any less true. If you try to keep your diet well balanced, and make sure to stay hydrated, then you’re probably more likely to enjoy your week. This usually is made easier with fresh fruits and veggies, and blocking out a bit of time in your week to put together a few meals. Making some homemade food in bulk might save a whole lot of hassle over the course of the following days.
If you have any special recipes that are especially feel-good, perhaps share them amongst the team! You never know who might benefit from having some comfort food to make. Or if you’re not so sure about what you might put together, ask around. Inspiration can come from all kinds of places.
Carve a new path this financial year
It’s been a difficult few weeks for everyone. That EOFY burnout feeling has been amped up to new levels with all of the troubles that Australia has been through. But thankfully, things only ever go in one direction, and that’s forward.
If any of the above feels familiar, then your business may be in as much need of a refresh as you. Now is the time to take things in a new direction and reinvigorate your business.
Excelerate Marketing specialises in helping you carve a better path forward for your business. Our bespoke marketing offering helps to modernise and rejuvenate your band, while taking some of the pressure off your shoulders. Outsourcing your marketing to our specialist team means you can give more of yourself back to your company and shake off that EOFY hangover slump.
Now is the time to feel supported and unearth the most unique qualities of your business. Whether this is through a review of your website, marketing strategy and online presence, exploring your business metrics or analysing your competitors, Excelerate Marketing can help identify your next steps.
So, let’s get back on the horse and get ourselves, and our teams, motivated to move into the new financial year with our best foot forward. That way, no matter what challenges might arise, you’ll be as ready as possible to overcome them and raise your business to new heights.
This is more than just aiding your business for the new financial year. This is the start of your business’s revolution. For a free consultation, please reach out to our Excelerate Marketing team today.